Psalm 139

Some passages in the Bible require a lot of unpacking. This is not one of them. Psalm 139 is straightforward and clear, allowing us to spend more time pondering than analyzing and meditating rather than discerning.

For the past few weeks, we’ve mentioned three terms describing God: omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. Today, we will unpack those doctrines in greater detail. However, we will do so with a practical lens rather than an abstract theological lens. In doing so, we will gaze upon the glorious truth that no one knows you better than God.

Let’s dive in.

“[1] O LORD, you have searched me and known me!

[2] You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from afar.

[3] You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

[4] Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.

[5] You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

[6] Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high; I cannot attain it.”

This Psalm starts with the declaration that God searches and knows us. The term search can imply a desire to obtain something one lacks. If, for example, I can’t find my keys, I will search until I find them.

However, the term “search” here isn’t intended to highlight a lack of information, as if God is looking for something he doesn’t already possess. God is all-knowing; he doesn’t lack any bit of information. Instead, the term ‘search’ is intended to highlight God’s careful concern for the deepest parts of our being. He has “searched me and knows me,” meaning there is no crevice of your heart or fiber of your being that God is unaware of. The parts of our being that we aren’t even willing to go, God has gone. No one knows you better than God.

Perhaps when we consider the doctrine of God’s omniscience, we do so abstractly. We think of God knowing everything about science, matter, and history. But Psalm 139 forces us to consider this doctrine through a personal lens. God doesn’t simply know everything about the world; he knows everything about you. God knows you better than you know you. He knows your actions. He knows when you’re sitting down and resting. He knows when you’re standing up and working. He knows your thoughts, carefully watching and observing them from afar. He knows every word you’ve ever spoken, even before a word is on your tongue. He hems you in, “behind and before you,” meaning you are entirely under his control and power.

This reality can be terrifying and beautiful. And the terror we feel from these verses can lead to joy.

We all feel the temptation to become hyper-focused on works performed in the light while diminishing works done in the darkness. We say things like, “I can’t believe you just said that,” whenever we think the same thing. But God knows what’s going on deep within your heart. He’s searched your innermost being. He’s acquainted with your thoughts, and he knows your words before they’re ever on your tongue. You may persuade others to believe you’re someone you’re not, but God sees through the facade. He knows you better than you know you.

That can be terrifying because we all fear being fully known and not fully loved. But the Bible shows us how God, who knows us fully, also loves us fully. He loves us enough to send his Son to the cross so we might have life through him. And the God who knows us best has given us the Scriptures to guide and lead us toward righteous living. Therefore, the Bible shouldn’t be seen as something that’s at odds with us. It should be seen as something that leads to our good and his glory.

No one knows us better than God. The only right response is to stand in awe of God and worship him, joining David in saying, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.”

Not only is God omniscient, but he is also omnipresent. There is nowhere God is not.

Look at verses 7-12,

“[7] Where shall I go from your Spirit?

Or where shall I flee from your presence?

[8] If I ascend to heaven, you are there!

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

[9] If I take the wings of the morning

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

[10] even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me.

[11] If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light about me be night,”

[12] even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is bright as the day,

for darkness is as light with you.”

There’s no way to escape the presence of God. You can go to the highest point in heaven or the lowest point in Sheol, and God will be there. You can go into the depths of the sea, and God will be there, holding your hand and leading you. God is the creator of night vision goggles; darkness cannot hide you from his sight. To God, the night is as bright as day.

Again, this truth can be terrifying and edifying.

God is looking over your shoulder as you search those websites. God is in the room with you as you gossip and slander your neighbor. God is watching you as you lie on your taxes. You think you can hide from God, but you can’t. You cannot flee from his presence. You cannot hide from the one whose darkness is as light.

This truth can also be water to our soul this morning. The wind of life will lead us all to various places this week, but we don’t journey there alone. God is with you in the darkroom of your house as you lie awake, wondering if anyone loves you. God is with you in the hospital bed as you wonder if there’s a cure for your illness. God is with you in the courtroom as you sit there anxiously, wondering if justice will ever be done. God is with you on vacation, offering you the rest you need to recharge your soul. God is with you when you get the phone call of a loved one passing away. The God who is omnipresent is with you today. There is nowhere that he is not.

But God is not only omnipresent but also omnipotent. He possesses all power. Again, the temptation is to think about this truth abstractly from the perspective of moons and stars. However, David gives us a practical lens through which to view this doctrine.

Look at verses 13-16,

“[13] For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.

[14] I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

[15] My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

[16] Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them.”

The all-powerful God of the universe formed your inward parts. God made me for a purpose. He knitted you together in your mother’s womb. You were fearfully and wonderfully made. Your frame was not hidden from God when you were made in secret. You were intricately woven in the depths of the earth. (This phrase seems strange, but I believe he’s alluding to the reality that there are aspects of our formation that will always remain unseen and mysterious to man. God sees that which remains unnoticed by man. No one is capable of truly seeing how a baby receives life. That will always remain a mystery. But it’s not a mystery to God.) Like an elderly woman knitting in her rocking chair, you were distinctly and intricately woven together by God for his glory and purpose. He knows your life's intricate and delicate details, down to the minutes and hours of your life.

You may hear this today and chuckle, thinking, “God skipped over me in the fearfully and wonderfully made department. I’m dreadfully and awfully made.” Perhaps you’ve been diagnosed with a particular type of disability, which has caused you to feel less significant than everyone else. If that’s you, I’m here to remind you of the words in Psalm 139. God’s works are wonderful, and you are a part of that masterpiece. In John 9, you find Jesus passing by a blind man, which leads Jesus’ disciples to ask him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Their question assumes the blind man was created less significantly because of someone’s sin. But, Jesus responds, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Church, the enemy will whisper in the night, “You are worthless, and no one wants you.” But, while the enemy whispers, God shouts, “I formed you for a glorious purpose.” Therefore, even with our ailments, we can shout,“Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

As we continue to read, David shouts in verse 17,“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I am awake, and I am still with you.” Here, David revisits the concept of thoughts, but this time, God’s thoughts are the focal point instead of our thoughts. The thoughts of God outnumber the grains of sand on the planet. Yet, this unknowable, vast, and great God of the universe, who is far greater than us, is still with us.

Then David concludes by saying,

“[19] Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!

O men of blood, depart from me!

[20] They speak against you with malicious intent;

your enemies take your name in vain.

[21] Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?

[22] I hate them with complete hatred;

I count them my enemies.

[23] Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

[24] And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting!”

Given the context, we can conclude that the wicked are coming against David unjustly. In doing so, they speak against the LORD maliciously— the wicked loath God. And with a heart full of hate, they’re rising up against God. Once again, David cries out for God to act in righteous judgment against the wicked, “God, do not delay in bringing judgment against the wicked.”

David allows God to see his honest and raw emotions toward the wicked—“I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.” Church, God is not afraid of your honesty; he welcomes it. God is not afraid of your honest prayers. If God knows your innermost thoughts, he’s not afraid of you telling him what you feel. Here, David is honest with the LORD. And in this honest confession, we see his disdain toward the wicked.

We will spend more time unpacking this next week. But, for now, the takeaway I want to pull from this is this: It is good to hate sin. We must hate sin. And it’s good to despise the sin of others. But, before we ever concern ourselves with the sin of others, we must first concern ourselves with our own sin. This Psalm starts with an acknowledgment of God knowing every aspect of David’s heart. It ends with David laying down the keys to his heart at the feet of the LORD, saying, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting!”

Some of us have been deeply wounded by others, and hatred has filled our hearts. And we’re holding tight to that hatred today. I’m here to tell you today that a Godly hatred never leads to wrath. It never leads to bitterness. It never leads to withholding blessings from others. If our enemy is hungry, we feed him. If our enemy is thirsty, we give them something to drink. Godly hatred rests in the heart of one who is always willing to repent. Ungodly hatred, however, leads to wrath. It leads to bitterness. It leads to all sorts of evil. And it rests in the hearts of those who are unwilling to repent.

Psalm 11

In summarizing our Psalm for the day, I think James Hamilton does so beautifully, “The message of Ps 11 is timeless and easy to apply. When people who belong to the Lord contemplate the threats of the wicked, they should do so in light of what God has said, in light of God’s righteous character, and in light of God’s coming judgment. We now know that Jesus is the descendent of David, in whom the promises of Ps 2 are fulfilled. Jesus will judge the wicked, and those who trust in Jesus will behold the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

Let’s dive in.

“[1] In the LORD I take refuge;

how can you say to my soul,

“Flee like a bird to your mountain,

[2] for behold, the wicked bend the bow;

they have fitted their arrow to the string

to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;

[3] if the foundations are destroyed,

what can the righteous do?”

[4] The LORD is in his holy temple;

the LORD’s throne is in heaven;

his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.

[5] The LORD tests the righteous,

but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

[6] Let him rain coals on the wicked;

fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

[7] For the LORD is righteous;

he loves righteous deeds;

the upright shall behold his face.”

JESUS IS OUR REFUGE

This Psalm begins with David declaring his faith and trust in the LORD— “In the LORD I take refuge…”

The term “refuge” refers to safety and security. It’s in the LORD, and the LORD alone, that David feels he is safest. As various threats in life come knocking, we find safety in the LORD.

The phrase at the start of this psalm is identical to the one at the end of Psalm 2, where David says, “All who find refuge in him shall be blessed.” Who is “him?” “Him” is Jesus, the anointed King who the nations plotted against.

If you remember, Psalms 1 and 2 introduce the entire book of Psalms. Psalm 1 begins with a declaration, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked…and delights in the law day and night.”Psalm 2 ends with the declaration, “Blessed are all who find refuge in him (the anointed one in which the nations plotted against.” In marrying these two Psalms together, we learn that Jesus is the blessed man in Psalm 1, and all who find refuge in Jesus will experience the promised blessing at the start of Psalm 1.

At the start of our Psalm today, David identifies as one who takes refuge in the LORD. Therefore, he is blessed. Jesus is our refuge. Therefore, in Jesus, we are safe.

If I could summarize verses 1-3 with a concise sentence, it would be as follows: Those who are in Christ are safe from all attacks by the enemy. We need not fear; Christ is near. We need not run; we have the Son.

FLEE LITTLE BIRD

The safety of the LORD leads David to respond to a particular set of threats by the wicked. He says, “How can you say to my soul, ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain, for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

This weekend is the first weekend of dove hunting season. As a hunter, your focus becomes hyper-aware of the life of small birds. One thing you notice about birds is how skittish they are. As an object approaches a bird, the bird scatters and flees for safety.

This is the imagery being used here by David. The upright and the righteous are those who take refuge in the LORD. And they are portrayed as a tiny bird in a field. The wicked, however, are portrayed as a strong warrior who has his arrow drawn and ready.

Nature assumes the bird will flee to the mountains for safety. But David doesn’t. He defies nature here and stands firm in the face of the wicked. The threats of the wicked have not succeeded in intimidating the righteous.

Why flee to the mountains when the LORD of the mountains is with you? There’s no reason to fear the bending of the bow when the LORD is your refuge. Those who are in Christ are safe from all attacks by the enemy.

Following this, David begins to describe who the LORD is, solidifying his lack of fear in the face of the wicked. In verse 4, he says, “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.”

GOD IS CLOSE AND GOD IS KING

Notice the tension in the first half of this verse. The LORD is in his holy temple, and his throne is in heaven. Here, we see two locations for God highlighted: the temple and heaven. One highlights his nearness, while the other highlights his sovereignty.

The temple was God’s dwelling place in Israel, where he dwelled with his people. David says, “The LORD is in his holy temple,” meaning it is not abandoned. God is close. Therefore, there’s no reason to fear.

Have you ever noticed what a young child does when faced with fear? He grabs the legs of a parent and hides. As the close proximity of a parent provides safety to a child, the close proximity of God should provide safety to God’s people.

Friends, I’m here to tell you today that God no longer dwells in a building or a tent down the street. The Bible tells us that we, the church, are the holy temple of God (Eph 2:21). God dwells with us by dwelling in us. God, right now, is closer than he’s ever been to his people, dwelling in the hearts of his people. God is close.

But if God is close to his people, what about everything that is done away from his people? Friends, David reminds us that although the LORD is in his temple, he also sits on his throne in heaven. And his eyes see everything. As Gerald Wilson puts it in his commentary on Psalms, “God is at once among his people, strengthening, empowering, and saving, and at the same time above all humans, ruling, examining, and rendering righteous judgments.” There’s no reason to fear the plans of the wicked because God sees them, and he knows them. Judgment is coming.

OMNIPRESENT, OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT

This verse alludes to three big theological words: omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient.

Omnipresent is the doctrine that God is present in all places, everywhere. He is in his temple while also sitting on his throne in heaven. You can go to the deepest parts of the Mariana Trench, and God will be there. You could go to the farthest part of the galaxy, and God will be waiting for you.

Omnipotent is the doctrine that God is all-powerful. God is sitting on his throne in heaven, possessing all power. He created everything with the power of his word, and he holds everything together at this moment in time.

Omniscient is the doctrine that God is all-knowing. There’s not a single event throughout history that caught God off guard. And there’s not a single plan of the wicked that can thwart his sovereign will. From God’s heavenly vantage point, he sees all things, and he knows all things.

GOD THE REFINER

At the end of verse 4, we see that “his eyelids test the children of man. The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.” Here, we see a theme of God “testing” his people. Our initial response to the word “test” might be to imagine God passing out a multiple-choice sheet of paper with questions on it. But that’s not the imagery we see here. The word “test” here is the same word used in Zechariah 13:9 and James 1:12. It’s a refining term, a term of difficulty, a term of sanctification, which means that to embrace Christ as Lord is to embrace his refining. As the prophet Zechariah puts it, “And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested.”

Refining silver is an extensive process that involves a lot of heat. To refine silver, you would stick it in the fire. Once it reached a specific temperature, you would remove it from the fire and scrape off the dross, leaving pure silver.

This is what his people should expect. Those who find safety in God should expect God to test them like a refiner tests gold. God uses trials to make his people more like Jesus. So, please do not be surprised when you’re met with trials and calamities and persecutions. The one who willed the sword against His Son for our salvation has also willed the fire for our sanctification. The Christian community is a refining community. To embrace Christ is to assume difficulties. The Christian life is not always easy. Those who belong to God will be refined.

Therefore, with James, we can say, “I count it all joy as I ‘encounter trials of various kinds’ because I know that ‘the testing of my faith will produce steadfastness,’ and when steadfastness has ‘its full effect,’ I will ‘become perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.’”

The fire is never fun. But, it’s a necessary because it leads to beauty. The act of God testing the righteous is a grace given to the righteous because it leads to more righteousness. It leads to your good and Christ’s glory. So, even while we’re in the fire, we can rejoice.

Following this declaration about God being the sanctifier of his people, we see that “God hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.” God’s hatred of the wicked can make us feel uncomfortable at times. But we must be careful not to reject something we find in scripture simply because it makes us uncomfortable. Instead, in the words of the commentator Gerald Wilson, we should seek to “understand it within the whole context of Scripture.” So, biblically speaking, we learn that God does not take pleasure in evil, and it cannot dwell in his presence (Psalm 5:4). Therefore, it is only fitting for us to assume God abhors the wicked. God is “adamantly and eternally opposed to those who use violence to oppress others and to further their own power and control.”

GOD THE EXECUTOR OF JUDGMENT

This leads to David praying with anticipation, “Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.” The language here is identical to what took place with Sodom and Gomorrah, where God rained on “Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven.” So, this is judgment language, a threatening language of discomfort and demise and finality. Judgment is coming for the wicked.

The Bible mentions two cups: a cup of salvation (Ps. 116:13) and a cup of wrath (Is. 51:17, 22-23). The wicked will drink from the cup of wrath, and the righteous will drink from the cup of salvation. But, the beautiful paradox of the gospel is that Jesus, the righteous one, drank the full cup of wrath so that we, those who find refuge in him, can drink from the cup of salvation. In the words of Paul, he who knew no sin became sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. All who find refuge in Jesus will be spared from God’s wrath and drink freely from the cup of salvation. But all who choose to to reject Christ will experience God’s judgment. God will not allow the wicked to continue in their sin. Judgment is coming for the wicked.

Now, before we land the plane there, let me shine a light on who it is that is raining down coals on the wicked. David says, “Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.” Who is “him?” “Him” is the LORD. It is God who has permission to rain down judgment, not you. And God will rain down judgment one day in his timing. It is permissible to pray for God’s judgment; it is not permissible to take judgment into your own hands. So, we never repay anyone evil for evil. Instead, we give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on us, we live peaceably with all. We never avenge ourselves. Instead, we leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is my, I will repay,” says the LORD.” If our enemy is hungry, we feed him. If our enemy is thirsty, we give him something to drink. For by doing so, we will heap burning coals on his head. May we not be overcome by evil. May we overcome evil with good.

It is permissible to pray for God’s judgment; it is not permissible to take judgment into your own hands. Judgment is coming for the wicked. God will not allow them to continue in their sin. But, all who find refuge in Christ will be spared from this coming judgment and behold the face of the LORD.“For the LORD is righteous; he love righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.” One day, we will be with God in perfect harmony for all eternity. So, as we wait for this day, may we seek to worship God with the pleasant offering of righteous deeds.

The Belt of Truth (Ephesians 6:14)

Today, we will look at the belt of truth. With it being the first piece of armor we put on, we will learn today that truth is central to the Christian faith. Without it, we unravel. Without it, we're fools. Without it, we're left walking in darkness. But, with it, we find life, freedom, and hope. If we want to stand firm against the enemy's attacks, we must embrace truth.

Let's dive in.

"Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace."

The first thing I want us to unpack is the command to stand. Paul says, "Stand, therefore..." "Therefore" links what is about to be said with what was just said. So, we must stand firm because an enemy is lurking, seeking to harm us. We must fasten the belt of truth because that enemy will attack us with lies.

Notice that Paul doesn't call us to charge, nor does he call us to flee. We are to stand firm, ready to hold the ground as the enemy moves in our direction. And, as we prepare to stand, we "fasten on the belt of truth…"

As a parent of young children, you seek to teach them how to dress independently. Getting a teenager dressed for school every morning would be irresponsible and, honestly, a bit awkward. So, notice who is responsible for fastening the belt here. The responsibility falls on the shoulders of the believer and no one else. In the words of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, "The girdle is not put on us; we have to put it on, and we have to put it firmly in position." Ignorance is not how we combat the lies of the enemy; it's how we are duped into believing the lies of the enemy. So, if we are going to be able to withstand the attacks of Satan, we must fasten truth tightly around our waist.

Friends, I'm fearful that the modern-day church is full of a bunch of spiritual teenagers who are still waiting for Mom and Dad to get them dressed. The belt of truth is sitting on the dresser, collecting dust, and we're walking through life exposed because we're too lazy to pick it up. So, pick up your belt and tighten it around your waist because the father of lies is throwing darts and swinging swords.

Now, there are three things I want to highlight regarding the purpose of a soldier's belt.

When we think about a belt, we likely think about a thin piece of leather that we slide between multiple loops in our pants to hold our pants up. That's certainly part of the function of a belt. A belt was used during this time to hold up and fasten robes/skirts for greater freedom of movement. The fastening of a belt was a preparation for action. It was symbolic, if you will, of a transition from leisure to activity. Like trying to win a wrestling match against Conor Mcgregor in a size 46 pants and no belt, a believer stands no chance in wrestling against the spiritual powers of the world of darkness without the belt of truth.

But, there was more to a belt than this. A belt was a vital part of a soldier's armor because it was the instrument that held one's dagger and sword in place. Half of the Christian battle is defensive, while the other half is offensive. So, the fastening of a belt enables the soldier to keep their weapons close. But a belt also offered protection. At the front of a Roman soldier's belt were loose thongs of leather intended to protect his thighs and groin region. So, a belt protected some of the soldier's most vulnerable areas. Without the belt, a soldier was left exposed to attack.

Now, let's spend some time unpacking the truth we must put on. What truth should we put on? As I consulted various commentators this week, I found two different interpretations here.

Some understand this to be "the truth," the revelation of God in Christ and Scripture. This means we are to fasten the truth of God around our waist to withstand the enemy's lies. In the words of NT Wright, "Never give up on the sheer truth of the gospel. It's like the belt which holds everything else together and in place." Others understand it to mean truthfulness, the act of being truthful. Walking in falsehood opens you up to various attacks of the enemy; therefore, we ought to put on truthfulness. In the words of John Stott, "To be deceitful, to lapse into hypocrisy, to resort to intrigue and scheming, this is to play the devil's game, and we shall not be able to beat him at his own game. What he abominates is transparent truth. He loves darkness; light causes him to flee. For spiritual and mental health, honesty about oneself is indispensable."

So, which is it? Are we to put on the truth of God? Or are we to put on truthfulness?

Yes.

We must fasten the truth of the gospel around our waist. But, to embrace the truth of the gospel, we must embrace the truth about ourselves. And when we embrace the truth about ourselves, we should begin to speak truthfully to others. Those who have embraced the truth of the gospel will begin to embrace a life of truthfulness.

Contrary to what some might claim, truth is central to the Christian faith. We don't rally around hypotheticals. The Bible is a historically accurate book full of real stories about real people. God really did create all things. Adam and Eve really were deceived, and they really did sin. God really did promise to crush Satan under his foot. God really did call Abraham, and he really did promise to bless the nations through him. God really made David into a great king, and he really promised to send a greater King one day who would rule for all eternity. God really did promise to send one who would be pierced and crushed for our sins.

Jesus really is that promised one. He really came, born of a virgin, just as God promised through real people. He really came proclaiming good news to the poor and liberty to the captives, just like God promised through real people. He really came to recover the sight of the blind, just like God promised through real people. He was really despised and rejected by his own people, just like God promised through real people. He really marched to the cross and died for our sins, just like God promised through real people. He really rose from the grave and returned to the Father, just like God promised through real people. God is really creating a united and diverse people in Jesus throughout the whole earth, just like God promised through real people.

God is a God of truth. He cannot lie. Therefore, we can trust what he says in his Word. But here's what is crucial for us to understand regarding truth. The Bible calls us to study the Scriptures closely so that we can discern what is true and what is false. We don't unquestioningly and blindly accept everything as factual. 1 John 4:1 says, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." So, we should be eager to examine the Scriptures daily to discern what is true and false.

Now, if a fundamental element of the Christian faith is embracing truth, then a fundamental element of the work of Satan is to attack truth. Satan is the father of lies, and his primary objective is to muddy the waters around the truth.

In Genesis 1-2, God creates man in his own image. He blesses them, puts them in the garden, and says, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." In Genesis 3, the serpent comes and questions God's command. He said to Eve, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?'" This leads to Eve saying, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" The serpent then lures her into eating the forbidden fruit by saying, "You will not surely die." Satan's favorite trick is to attack truth. He loves to muddy the waters of truth. So, to walk in Christian faithfulness, we need to know what the Bible says. We need to know the truth if we're going to withstand the enemy's attacks.

There's an interesting exchange between Jesus and the Jews in John 8. After telling the Jews that he came to offer them freedom from bondage, the Jews mockingly respond, "We're sons of Abraham; we've never been enslaved to anyone."

Jesus says, "Yeah, that may be true. But everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. I'm doing what my Father told me to do, and you're doing what your father told you to do."

This leads to them saying again, "Our father is Abraham."

To which Jesus responds, "No. If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing what Abraham did. But, you're rejecting me and trying to kill me, which is the work of your father, the devil."

So, what Jesus is doing is he's drawing a line in the sand, and he's saying we all have one of two fathers: the devil (the father of lies) or God (the father of truth).

And the beautiful invitation is that if we embrace the truth about Christ, we can become children of God. But, to embrace the truth about Christ, we must also embrace the truth about ourselves, which isn't pretty. The truth about you and me is that we are wicked and rebellious sinners. The truth about you and me is that we often prefer darkness over light. The reality is that we would be mortified if all our thoughts, words, and actions were publicized.

Therefore, Satan tempts us to embrace a lie about ourselves. Just like the Jews Jesus was speaking to, he tempts us into believing that we are inherently good. He tempts us to think we don't need to be saved. But the truth is, we need freedom. We need saving. We need healing. We need transforming. We need grace.

John, in John 1, says that "the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." So, John is saying that the radiant and majestic glory of Jesus was full of grace and truth. Jesus was seen as one who was not just a little gracious; he was full of grace, not lacking an ounce of grace. And he was not partially true; he was full of truth, not lacking a drop of honesty. Jesus is not gracious at one moment and truthful the next. He doesn't set aside grace when it's time to be truthful, nor does he set aside truth when it's time to be gracious. When he's gracious, he's truthful. When he's truthful, he is gracious. He's full to the brim of both grace and truth. Not an ounce of either is ever lacking.

So we don't have to hide behind a mask with God. We can look at ourselves in the mirror honestly and come to Him truthfully. And when we come to him truthfully and fully, we will always be met with grace, love, and forgiveness. God will lovingly say, "I hate the sin you have done, and I have forgiven you fully because my Son has drank the full cup of my wrath on your behalf. So, go and sin no more." So, to embrace the truth about Jesus, we must embrace the truth about ourselves. And once we embrace the truth about ourselves, coming to the light, we will experience joy and freedom like no other, leading to us walking in truthfulness for the rest of our days.

Put simply, truth embraced should lead to truth lived. Those who have come to the light should then begin to walk in the light. There's no reason to walk in falsehood anymore. So, pick up the belt of truth and tie it tightly around your waist.

When Satan comes and accuses you, you can point to the cross and say, "My sins are forgiven." When you've sinned, and Satan tempts you to hide in shame, you remind yourself that God is gracious and that freedom and healing come on the other side of confession. When we're tempted to think that a lie will lead to a better perception, a better job, or more fame, we remind ourselves that losing the world through truth is better than gaining the world through a lie.

The armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-13)

When my great-grandmother, Mama Ruby, passed away, I was gifted a set of her commentaries. One day, as I was reading through them, I found a small piece of paper that she used as a bookmark. On it were the words, "The Christian life is not a playground but a battleground."

I don't believe there's a better summary for our passage today than those ten words penned by Mama Ruby. Here in Ephesians 6:10-20, we will learn that an enemy is lurking who is out to steal, kill, and destroy, and he will do anything but sit back and watch the church grow and flourish. He and his little kingdom are waging war against the church, and we are a part of a spiritual battle. So, as Paul is closing out this letter to the churches in Ephesus, he's telling the church that they must always be alert and fully dressed for combat.

There's a saying out there that goes, "Ignorance is bliss." I think that's perhaps one of the most misleading statements regarding the Christian faith. Ignorance is not always bliss. To be ignorant that a spiritual battle is taking place right now is to open yourself up to tremendous spiritual danger. In fact, I would argue that one of the greatest dangers is to be unaware of posing threats. But fortunately for us, God is drawing our attention to an enemy lurking, and he's calling and equipping us for battle. God cares about us enough to point out danger and loves us enough to equip us to combat danger.

Today, we will look at two commands: the command to be strong and the command to put on the whole armor of God. Then, for the next seven weeks, we will unpack the implications of this general exhortation.

Let's dive in.

"[10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. [13] Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm."

The first thing we see is the word "finally." Finally is an "icing on the cake" word. It implies important information regarding everything that has previously been said. In the same way that cake without icing is dull and bland, Ephesians without these verses are incomplete and ineffective. To live out what we've been called to in Ephesians, we must "be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might." We cannot walk in obedience to Jesus without the power of the Holy Spirit working.

There are two things I want to highlight here: (1) the call to be strong and (2) the source of our strength.

BE STRONG

There's a saying, "Let go and let God," which implies a victory found in a lack of effort. Perhaps there are moments when we need to let go of a situation and let God take control. But perhaps there are also moments when we need to try so that God can work through us. The Christian faith is not passive; it is active. "Be strong in the Lord," Paul says. The Christian life demands effort; it necessitates strength. If we want to lift a lot of weight, we must be physically strong. If we want to walk in Christian faithfulness, we must be spiritually strong. If we want to honor the Lord, we must be prepared to exert effort.

IN THE STRENGTH OF HIS MIGHT

But, notice how the strength we are to be strong in here isn't our strength— "Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might."

One of the most extraordinary graces of the Christian life resides in the fact that God doesn't simply call you to be strong; he gives you the strength to be strong. The Christian life isn't meant to be lived in our own strength; it's meant to be lived in God's strength. This is the same word Paul uses in Philippians 4:13 when he says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." So, you do not possess the power and ability to fight the good fight alone; you need the Lord's strength. And thankfully, God offers you strength.

Now, check this out. The three different words used here to signify power (strong: dynamis, strength: kratos, might ischus) are the exact words used in Ephesians 1:19 concerning God's work in raising Jesus from the dead. God has done some powerful things throughout history. But, we learned in Ephesians 1 that the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus are the ultimate display of power to us as believers. And it's this power that has been extended to us today. It's this power that resides within us today. God doesn't call us to be strong in our own strength, nor has he given us second-hand strength. He has given us himself; in return, we have his power.

PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD

In addition to putting on God's strength, we are to put on his armor— "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." Notice how, like the strength we lean into, the armor we put on is God's armor, not our armor. God gives us armor to protect us from the devil's attacks.

Looking at the word armor in the New Testament, I noticed this term isn't often used. It's used twice in Ephesians 6 and once in Luke 11. But, all three uses were in a spiritual context.

In Luke 11, for example, Jesus was accused of casting out a demon by the spirit of Beelzebul, the prince of demons. In response, Jesus says, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls." So, he's picking up kingdom language, and in doing so, he's comparing two kingdoms: a kingdom of darkness and a kingdom of light, a demonic kingdom and God's kingdom. And he's essentially saying, "If I was who you say I am, I would be waging war against my own kingdom, which makes no sense at all." He's calling them to ponder what they're accusing him of.

He then goes on to say, "But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil." So, he's saying that he can either be the prince of demons or the prince of peace. If he's the prince of demons, he's waging war against his own kingdom. If he's the prince of peace, he's ushering in God's kingdom, waging war against the kingdom of darkness.

Jesus is demonstrating that he is far more powerful than the spiritual powers of this world. It's not by the arms or legs of God that the demons are cast out; it's by the finger of God that Jesus casts them out, stripping them of their armor and dividing their spoils, leaving them in total ruin. Like flicking an ant off the picnic table, Jesus casts out the fully armed guards of the kingdom of darkness.

So, in marrying these two passages (Ephesians 6 and Luke 11), by the power of the one who cast out demons with a subtle flick, we can put on the whole armor of God and withstand the schemes of the devil. Offensively, the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. It's a lost battle for Satan. Jesus has powerfully disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them on the cross. And defensively, we can stand against the devil's schemes by the power of Jesus. Satan does not possess the power and ability to overtake those who are in Christ. He can attack you, but he cannot overtake you. He can tempt you, but he cannot destroy you.

WHO IS THE DEVIL?

Now, I find it interesting that Paul doesn't give us a long dissertation on who the devil is; instead, he assumes his readers already have a pretty good understanding of who he is. I think, in part, that is because they're already familiar with the devil and his works. In Acts 19, we see a group of Jewish exorcists coming to Ephesus to cast out demons. But, the evil spirit answers them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" The possessed man then jumps on the seven men and overpowers them, leading to them running out of the house naked and wounded. It says that this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.

The churches in Ephesus are well acquainted with demonic activity. They're not strangers to dark spiritual activities. And they know firsthand that Jesus is greater. So, as we read through Ephesians, we see Paul alluding to Satan and demons more frequently than we might realize.

In Ephesians 2, we see Paul say that we were “dead in our trespasses and sins in which we once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience." In simpler terms, Paul is saying that before we trusted in Jesus, we were following the leadership of Satan. In Ephesians 3, we see the manifold wisdom being made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. We learned that this was in reference to spiritual beings such as angels and demons. While studying this verse, we learned that angels and demons are real spiritual beings that are not all-powerful or all-knowing.

The name devil means false accuser or slanderer. The devil is the prince of the power of the air, meaning he is the prince of demons and the author of evil. His sole goal is to bring you harm and destroy God's creation. His primary objective is to steal, kill, and destroy. We see him act this way in the garden when he tempts Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. We see him act this way with Job, seeking to bring harm, pain, and misery upon Job, hoping that Job will no longer worship God. We see this with Jesus when the Holy Spirit leads him into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Satan tempted Jesus with the hopes of him abandoning obedience to the Father. We see this when Satan stands at the right hand of the high priest, Joshua, accusing him in Zechariah 3.

Satan never has plans for good, and he's hardly idle. He's seeking to bring great harm to you and this world. But he does so discreetly. Satan is a schemer. The Greek word for "schemes" means cunning arts, deceit, craft, tricky. It's the idea of hiding and waiting to deceive and harm. Satan will try to destroy you by tricking you.

In adopting the words of 1 Peter 5:8, "Our adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." Satan rarely attacks in the open. He prefers the shadows over the light. Sometimes, his attacks are loud and blatant. But more often, they are quiet whispers. Like a mad chemist, he seeks to mix harmful lies with partial truths and serve as foundational doctrines for us to embrace. And every sip we take leads to our demise. Like a true con artist, he feeds us lies, promising us pleasure or prosperity. But, in the end, it leads to death.

Satan is trying to destroy you by tricking you. Therefore, we need the armor of God.

A LIFE OF WRESTLING

Paul then says, "[12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Wrestling implies we are engaged in hand-to-hand combat with spiritual forces. We are not innocent bystanders; we are on the frontlines engaged in battle. The Christian life is not a playground but a battleground. We need the strength of the Lord and the armor of God because we are actively engaging against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. The language here for "rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, spiritual forces" is kingdom language. There is a spiritual world, if you will, an invisible kingdom that we are engaging with that we cannot see.

Going back to Ephesians 2, we were once following the prince of the power of the air, the leader of this world, the kingdom of darkness. But now, we belong to God's kingdom. Our residence has changed. We are no longer dead; we are alive. We are children of light, not children of darkness. And now that we belong to God, we wrestle against darkness instead of following it. Because of this, we must take up the whole armor of God, so that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. We put on the armor of God so that when Satan and his army come marching to our door, we're ready to stand firm.

The Christian life is not always easy. There will be seasons when the fiery darts are soaring in your direction. There will be times when swords are heaved at you. There will be seasons of weariness and desperation. But God gives us strength, and he gives us armor to withstand the attacks of the enemy. And having done all that we can to stand firm, we will prevail by God's strength and grace.

Now, who does Paul not say we wrestle against? We do not wrestle against flesh and blood. We are called to battle against those that we cannot see. This is essential for us to understand. Sometimes, I fear that we read verses like this, and we think it's an endorsement to be mean and combative with our neighbors. No! The mark of a mature Christian is not your ability to win a wrestling match online. The mark of a mature Christian is to put on the love of Christ. A mature believer's mark is found in one's willingness to embrace and preach truth with a gentle, kind, loving, and patient heart.

So, perhaps conflict has entered into some of your relationships within the church; remember that the church is not your enemy. Perhaps conflict has entered your marriage; remember that your spouse is not your enemy. Perhaps you've been deeply hurt by a boss or coworker; remember, they are not your enemy. Satan is a master manipulator, and he is seeking to kill, steal, and destroy. It is those that we cannot see that we wrestle against.

So, when Satan tempts us with bitterness, we choose forgiveness. When Satan tempts us with envy, we choose contentment. When Satan tempts us with lust, we choose love. When Satan tempts us with doubt, we choose faith. We do not fight against flesh and blood, but against those we cannot see.

GOD > SATAN

As we close, I want to remind us that God and Satan are not equal. If I were to ask you what the opposite of left is, you would say right. If I were to ask you what the opposite of up is, you would say down. If I were to ask you what the opposite of God is, you might say the devil. But that isn't true. To say God and Satan are opposites would be to say that they're on a level playing field, but that simply isn't true. Satan cannot take a step, nor can he take a breath without the approval of the Sovereign Lord of all. Satan was able to test Job when God allowed him to. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Lk. 4:1). No fiery dart shot in your direction, no swing of the enemy's sword, falls outside the approval of the one who gives us strength. So, put your armor on and stand firm in hope!

Ephesians 6:5-9

Ephesians is a beautiful book, a necessary letter written to the churches in Ephesus. It carefully lays out the beauty of the gospel, and it clearly articulates how it applies to our day-to-day lives. No facet of the Christian life should be left untouched by Jesus. God's love seeps deep into his people's hearts, transforming them into ambassadors of Christ. Those who have experienced the profound love of Christ will want to worship him through joyful obedience.

For the past few weeks, we've been looking at how we can worship Jesus within the home as ambassadors of Christ. Wives can worship Jesus by submitting to their husbands as the church submits to Christ, husbands can worship Jesus by loving their wives as Christ loves the church, and children can worship Jesus by obeying and honoring their parents. Well, today, we will look at how slaves and masters can worship Jesus through their interaction with one another.

This topic should leave a lump in our throat, making us uncomfortable. Slavery is a shameful, dirty, and wicked stain on the history of our country. Thankfully, it has been abolished and is no longer. But it's still an ugly reality of our past. So, there should be a rightful tension in our hearts as we dive into this topic.

As a country that claims to have been founded on Christian principles, some have even used this passage as an endorsement of slavery. But I think we will learn today that Ephesians 6:5-9 is the farthest thing from an endorsement of such oppressive actions. Ephesians 6:5-9 is a call to bestow honor on all people. In these five verses, we find the reminder that there is no partiality with God. God calls us to bestow honor on the poor and the rich, the slave and the master, the employee and the employer, the deserving and the undeserving. Your bank account or your social status has no sway with God. God treats all people fairly, and so should we.

Today, we will have to do some groundwork upfront to understand who Paul is writing to and what he's calling them to do. However, once we understand this passage in its original context, we will seek to draw an application for our passage today. In doing so, we will learn that God calls us to always work for the Lord, not man. If you have a good boss, honor him because it honors the Lord. If you have a bad boss, honor him because it honors the Lord. If you have good employees, respect them because it honors the Lord. If you have bad employees, respect them because it honors the Lord. It doesn't matter who you are or what position you find yourself in; you are always called to treat people the way you would want to be treated in the workplace.

Let's dive in.

"[5] Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, [6] not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, [7] rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, [8] knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. [9] Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him."

WHAT IS A BONDSERVANT?

The first question we must ask today is, "What is a bondservant?"

The term bondservant is the Greek word doulos, which means a servant or a slave. It's someone who has been placed under the authority of another. It's someone who works for someone else. It's someone under the possession of another.

Depending upon which historian or commentator you read, the estimated number/percentage of the slave population varies. For example, one historian estimated that there were approximately 60,000,000 slaves in the Roman Empire. Others estimated that slaves made up anywhere between 20 and 40% of the Roman population, while others estimated that as many as two-thirds of the Empire were slaves.

We obviously can't know the exact number or percentage. But, we can safely conclude that slavery was an integral part of society during this time. Therefore, it's safe to conclude that a good portion of the churches in Ephesus consisted of men and women who were slaves at this time.

During this time, some would become bondservants either voluntarily or involuntarily. For example, Paul often describes himself and others in the Christian faith as a "bondservant of Christ." In doing so, he's saying, "Although Christ has set us free, we have voluntarily put ourselves under the good authority of Christ. He's a master we love and trust. Therefore, we have willingly given up our rights to life and given ourselves to serving Him."

Although this term can be used in the context of a voluntary position in Scripture, we must understand that it was not the norm during this time. One commentator noted that people often became slaves through various avenues such as "birth, parental selling or abandonment, captivity in war, inability to pay debts, and voluntary attempts to better one's condition." So, in the same way that we don't know the number of slaves, we don't know what has led them to become slaves. But, I think it's safe to conclude that many of them were in this position, not by choice, but by force.

DOES PAUL ENDORSE SLAVERY?

Slavery in Rome, like slavery in America, was commonly known as an abusive and degrading institution. But, despite this commonality, there were a couple of fundamental differences between slavery in Roman culture and slavery in America.

One difference is that contrary to what we have grown to know in our society today, slavery in Rome wasn't based on race. Another difference was that many slaves were more educated than their owners, leading to them doing all types of work (management, oversight, etc.). Slaves possessed many rights and privileges that everyone else in society possessed. And I think the key difference resides in the fact that slaves could own property and buy freedom. In fact, it's believed that many gained freedom around the age of 30.

I think this helps shed light on why it seems like Paul isn't overtly condemning slavery at this moment in time. And I want to take a moment to address that.

We obviously live in a country that has been plagued by the ugly stain of slavery. Unfortunately, we live in a country where we would take ships to other countries to purchase men, women, and children that were ripped from their families and bring them back to our country where they would never see their families again. It's embarrassing that we live in a country where slaves had no rights or privileges. And it's terrible that some used passages like Ephesians 6 to justify such actions.

So, we need to answer the question, "Why doesn't Paul here specifically prohibit slavery?" In other words, does the Bible's lack of prohibition against slavery at this time act as an endorsement for slavery in our time?

The simple answer here is "No."  And here's a few reasons why:

First, many have alluded to the fact that many slaves were freed constantly and easily during this time. As I just mentioned, it's believed that many slaves would be able to buy freedom by the age of 30. Some go on to claim that between 81 and 49 BC, 500,000 Roman slaves were freed from bondage.

Second, multiple commentators have highlighted the lack of political power present in the church during this time. As one commentator puts it, "Their religion was itself still unlawful, and they were politically powerless." So, it would have been unrealistic for the church to be able to completely eradicate something so interwoven into the fabric of their society. Therefore, the Bible addresses how the church should act within the state of their society as followers of Jesus.

But, I want us to also understand that the Bible has always been more concerned with the heart of people than the laws of man. Laws are important. Good laws are necessary for a healthy society. But no law is capable of transforming the hearts of men. Nothing would change if the Bible addressed a city's laws and not the hearts of its inhabitants.

Think about the state of our society, for example. Praise God, we live in a society where slavery has been abolished. But just because slavery has been abolished, that doesn't mean oppression has been eradicated. We still live in a country where the rich profit off the poor. Although everyone may have the same legal rights, not everyone has been afforded the same legal opportunities. So, it may seem like the Bible is quiet in its prohibition of slavery. But that's the farthest thing from the truth. The Bible here addresses the heart of man, not the laws of their town. And in doing so, it is shouting from the rooftops that all people should be treated equally, with dignity, love, and respect. It doesn't matter if you're the slave or the master; you must love and respect your neighbor.

As the book of Proverbs puts it, "The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the Maker of them all (Prov. 22:2)." Or, as the book of Galatians puts it, "In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28)."

So, no. The Bible might not have commanded God's people to rush to the courthouse to abolish slavery. But, all throughout the Bible, we see God calling his people to treat one another with love, respect, and dignity. God is addressing the heart of his people.

HOW TO GLORIFY GOD AS A SLAVE?

What I want to do now is unpack what Paul says to the slave and master. How can the slave and master glorify God in their relationship with one another? As we unpack these verses, I want us to ask ourselves, "How does this apply to me in the workplace?"

Let's first look at the slave. How does Paul say a slave can glorify God?

The first thing we see is that the slave can glorify God by obeying their master. We can honor God at work by obeying our boss. The word obey is the same word used in verse 1. It means to do as you are told. It's the same word used in the gospels to describe the response of the wind and waves whenever Jesus rebuked them. When Jesus told the wind and waves to stop, they obeyed and stopped.

This is a concept that is so countercultural in our day and age. We live in a society that hates instruction. We hate to be told what to do. But God is telling us that obeying our bosses is good. So, we can glorify God by obeying our earthly masters.

But, as we continue to read, we learn that God cares about how we obey. Obedience with a bad heart or bad motives is ultimately disobedience to God. So, how should we obey our earthly masters?

Paul says we should obey our bosses respectfully— "obey your masters with fear and trembling."

The word for fear and trembling here actually means fear and trembling. It's the same word used to describe the guards seeing the angel of the Lord when they became as dead men (Mt. 28:3); it's the same word used to describe the disciples when they saw Jesus rebuked the wind and waves (Mk. 4:41); it's the same word used to describe the disciples when they saw Jesus walk on water (Mt. 17:26). So, this highlights the type of obedience that should be present in the hearts of God's people. There should be a sense of reverence and respect within the heart of God's people toward their boss.

We live in a society where respect is a lost art. At times, we're willing to obey. But we're not always willing to obey respectfully. We may honor our boss with our actions, but not our heart. We may honor our boss to their face, but not behind their back. But God calls us to revere, respect, and fear our earthly masters. As followers of Jesus, we honor the Lord when we respect our bosses. So, are you setting a good example of how to respect your boss at your job?

But, not only should we obey respectfully, we should obey willingly— "obey your masters with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart."

The Greek word for sincere here is haplotēs, which highlights single-mindedness. It's an intentional commitment not to be self-seeking and free of hypocrisy. So, this means that we are to obey our masters with a heart free of hypocritical motives. Our motive should be simple. We should simply want to honor the Lord in how we view and act toward our masters.

Paul goes on to say, "doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man." One commentator adds, "No work is merely work. It is a way to serve Christ." So, a tangible way we can live out the gospel in the workplace is by working for the Lord, not man. How we treat our boss is an expression of worship and service to Jesus. He is our ultimate master. So, we should seek to obey our earthly masters in the same way we obey our heavenly master, which is with a sincere heart. Whether our boss is watching or not, our hearts are set on obedience because our hearts are set on the Lord. Our motive isn't personal gain; it's the glory of Jesus. So, we always work hard for the Lord (whether our master is watching or not) because we understand that we are ultimately servants of Christ. We want to honor Christ in how we honor our boss.

But here's one of the most beautiful realities of this passage: the slave can obey willingly and expectantly— "knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a Bondservant or free." We obey our bosses expectantly. We work hard, knowing that a reward is coming. No deed (good or bad) goes unnoticed by God. One day, we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and will be rewarded based upon our present faithful (Matt 16:27; Rom 2:6-11; 2 Cor 5:10). So, we obey in hope, knowing that things will get better one day!

HOW TO GLORIFY GOD AS A MASTER?

Then, Paul shifts his attention to the master. In doing so, he is saying, "This is how you can glorify God in your daily life as a boss/master."

First, he highlights that we can glorify God as leaders by treating others how they want to be treated—"treat them the same way." Godly leaders treat their people the way they want to be treated. They treat their people with respect, worth, and dignity. The heart posture of the master should coincide with the heart posture of a slave. Whether you're the leader or the follower, the slave or the master, humble service is what you're called to. So treat your people the way you want to be treated. In the same way that Christ is a good master that we can trust, we are to be a good master that others can trust.

Next, he highlights that we can glorify God as leaders by avoiding hostility— "stop your threatening."

Every team or business has a goal: win, make money, or beat a deadline. Some leaders believe that the goal of an organization/team is more important than those in the organization/team. They think each person has a job, and the leader's job is to make everyone else do their job well, no matter the cost. This mentality typically leads to a type of heavy-handed leadership. It will lead one to say, "I'm not here to be your friend. I'm here to be your boss. I don't care what's going on in your life. Your job is to do _____. So, go do ______."

To this leader, concern for the goal always trumps concern for those carrying out the goal. Yet, the Bible says that good leaders care for the people they lead. Good leaders don't threaten their people; they gently lead their people.

No one demonstrates this better than Jesus does! No one cares for you as a person more than Jesus! Jesus is a good master who doesn't rule with a heavy hand. He is a master who serves, honors, and cares for his people! His steadfast love never ends! So, if you have experienced firsthand the personal care and comfort of God's steadfast love, why would you not be quick to extend that same love to those you lead?

Your organization's goal is never more important than those within your organization. Steadfast love and faithfulness, not heavy-handedness and oppression, are what upholds the throne of a king. Good leaders are loving, kind, and gentle leaders. Good leaders care for the people they are leading.

Then he says we can glorify God as leaders by living with Christ-centered accountability— "he is both their Master and yours in heaven." Brothers and sisters, your master is Christ. You can be the boss of all bosses. But, no position of leadership in this life will ever transfer you out of being a slave to Christ.

He then says we must remember that God is impartial— "there is no partiality with him." We can glorify God as leaders by treating all people fairly. We can glorify God as leaders by remembering God is impartial. God didn't extend salvation to us because of our dress. Our bank account doesn't lure God into granting us salvation. Our skin color doesn't entice God into giving us favor. Blessing isn't extended to us because of our age or heritage. Salvation is on the table for all people, no matter their skin color, no matter their age, no matter their net worth, no matter their past.

Romans 10 says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Therefore, if God does not show partiality in his giving of salvation, then we must not show partiality, either. If we are recipients of God's grace, then we must extend grace. If favoritism is far from God, it must be far from us. Faith and favoritism are incompatible.

Ephesians 6:1-4

Many years ago, I remember meeting a Muslim friend downtown. Over time, we began to talk. And one night, over dinner, I asked him what led him to become Muslim. He proceeded to tell me that his dad was a Baptist preacher, so he grew up in a Christian home. But, over time, he began to view the Christian faith as empty, worthless, and powerless because he never saw his dad live out his faith at home. He said, "My dad was a completely different person at home than he was at church. So, I concluded it can't be real."

This conversation taught me that who we are at home is equally (if not more) important than who we are in public. Today, we will learn that God cares about what happens inside the home. God cares about how we interact with our parents, and he cares about how we interact with our kids.

Perhaps I could make the bold statement that we have failed as disciples of Jesus if we give our life to teaching the world about Jesus and neglect teaching our kids about Jesus. I will have failed as a pastor if I neglect my children in an attempt to lead the church.

Today, we will learn that the primary spiritual influence in a child's life should be the parent. Therefore, the child should listen to and obey the parent's teaching.

One of our four pillars as a church is family discipleship. We define family discipleship as "The family of God partnering with and equipping parents/guardians to help build in their children an authentic faith in Jesus." We want to equip and disciple families for family discipleship as the church. We want to be a [F]amily that helps our [f]amilies be a beacon of hope and life in their homes. Family discipleship is the family of God coming together to pray for, teach, train, and show our parents and kids what it means to love Jesus. 

So, discipleship is not merely something that takes place outside of our homes; it should be something that takes place inside our homes. God cares about who we are inside the walls of our home. God cares about your family.

Let's dive in.

"[1] Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. [2] "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), [3] "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." [4] Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

CHILDREN ARE IMPORTANT

The first thing I want us to notice is who Paul is addressing. He's speaking to the children of the church. This is a term that means offspring or descendants. But it's a term of position more than a term of age. In Matthew 2:18, we see this word used about the children under the age of two that Herod sought to kill. But elsewhere in Scripture, it's used in reference to children much older. So, I don't think Paul is speaking directly to two-year-olds, nor do I think he's speaking directly to thirteen-year-olds. He's talking to those who have been given the title of a child, someone who is dependent upon an adult, someone living under their parent's roof. 

So, take a moment to understand what's taking place here at the start of chapter 6. In a letter written to the saints in Ephesus, Paul specifically addresses the kids. God values children enough to speak directly to them when addressing the church. 

What does that tell us? It tells us that our children should not be viewed as an afterthought in the church; they should be seen and treated as an essential element of the church. Children should be treated as a crucial part of the church.

Unfortunately, we live in a day and age where children can be viewed as a distraction rather than a priority. Sometimes, we want kids out of the service rather than in the service so we can worship Jesus undistracted. And I think this desire has contributed to the church creating a separate ministry in a separate building for the kids in the church. 

I'm not here to condemn those things as wrong. Children's ministry is important. It's helpful to have the church help teach our little children essential stories in the Bible in a way they can understand it. It's helpful to have someone serve the young moms and dads by watching their babies during the service. It can be beneficial to give the youth of church opportunities to gather with young believers their age. But, in doing these things, we must be careful not to create a culture where our children are separate from the church. Paul doesn't write a separate letter to the children; he addresses them as a part of the church. Therefore, we should treat our kids as crucial to the church. Let them serve and grow with us.

This is why we bring our kids into the worship space at an early age. We want them to grow up as a part of the church. We want them to learn how to worship by worshipping with us. We want them to learn how to study the Bible by studying with us. We want them to learn to serve by serving with us. We want them to grow into the image of Christ with us, not away from us. 

CHILDREN, OBEY YOUR PARENTS

Paul then tells the children in the church to "obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." The word "obey" means to listen and submit to the commands of another. Strikingly, it's the same word used in Matthew 8:27 when "the winds and the sea obeyed" Jesus. As Jesus was in the boat with his disciples, he was sound asleep whenever a great storm hit the sea. He later wakes up and proceeds to rebuke the winds and the sea, and there is suddenly a great calm. The wind and the waves obeyed Jesus, doing as he said. 

I feel, at times, this is a far too relatable analogy to parents. Perhaps you're like my wife, and at night, you look around your house and wonder, "Did a tornado come through our home?" Maybe you're like me, and sometimes you wonder if "child" and "hurricane" are synonyms. Well, may this story comfort you. If Jesus can calm the wind, he can calm your children. If the waves can obey, your children can obey.

As the storm took heed to the command of Jesus, children are to take heed to the commands of their parents. God calls the children in the church to obey their parents. They are to do as their parents tell them to do. 

Kids, a tangible way you can honor the Lord as a child is by obeying your parents. A tangible way that you can worship God is by doing what your parents say. If you want to obey God, you should obey your parents. 

Now, what does it mean that we are to obey our parents "in the Lord?" Well, what I think Paul is alluding to here is our ultimate higher authority. As John Stott puts it, "The latter instruction surely modifies the former." In other words, we obey our parents always, without exception, as long as that obedience is compatible with our ultimate authority, Jesus. If, for some reason, our parents command us to do something that goes against what God, in his word, commands us to do, then we must humbly and respectfully disobey. If your mom tells you to lie, you say, "Mom, I can't lie. God tells me to speak the truth. So I have to be honest." If your dad tells you to steal, you say, "Dad, I can't steal because God tells me not to." Jesus is always our primary and ultimate authority. 

Paul then says, "For this is right." Paul's first justification for the obedience of a child isn't the law or Christian ethics; it's the natural law of life. We obey our parents because it's the right thing to do. It should be universally understood across all life barriers that it is suitable for a child to obey their parents. 

HONOR AND OBEY

But, the natural law of life is not the ultimate authority for us as believers. So, to support this command, Paul quotes the Ten Commandments— "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land."

To support the command to "obey," Paul quotes the Old Testament command to "honor." To honor someone means to revere someone. It means respecting someone and holding them in high esteem. So, this tells us that we can honor our parents by obeying our parents. If you want to dishonor your mom and dad, disobey them. But, if you want to honor your mom and dad, obey them.  

THINGS WITH GO WELL FOR YOU

Now, there's some disagreement or confusion over Paul's words, "This is the first commandment with a promise," because it appears this isn't the first commandment with a promise. When you look at the Ten Commandments, you'll see that there are, in a sense, promises tied to other commandments that come before this one. For example, the command, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain," has the promise that "he will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain." So, judgment is promised to the one who takes the LORD's name in vain. 

But, what I think Paul is saying is that this is the first commandment that promises blessing. Those who honor their father and mother will experience "well-being and a long life on earth." So, choosing to disobey your parents is a dangerous path in life. But, choosing to obey your parents is choosing a better way of life.

Let's spend a few minutes unpacking the nuts and bolts of this promise. 

The primary responsibility of a parent is to love, protect, and teach a child what obedience to and love for God looks like. In doing this, a parent will teach a child principles that will generally lead to life and prosperity. Obeying our parents should lead to a better and safer life.

For example, stealing and lying will lead to pain and misery. Choosing to embrace a life of theft and dishonesty will likely lead to some time in jail or prison. So, if a child takes heed to their parent's teaching/warning/discipline against these things, they will be able to avoid a ton of pain and misery in life that comes from these things.

Not only that but obeying your parents will teach you humility. It will teach you how to receive correction, which will help you be a better person in life. Think about work, for example. If you, as a child, can learn to take heed to your parent's corrections, you will one day be able to take heed to your bosses' corrections, which will lead to you being a good employee, which should, in return, lead to things going well for you in the workplace. In other words, you show me a child who honors, respects, and obeys their parents, and I will show you someone who will one day honor, respect, and obey their boss. And if you honor, respect, and obey your boss, you'll probably be a good worker, and good employers want to keep good workers.

Now, let me insert a little side note along those lines and briefly speak to the young ladies. As you get into the dating age one day, let me counsel you. You show me a young man who honors and respects his mom, and I will show you a young man who will one day honor and respect you. Show me a young man who doesn't respect his mother, and I'll show you a young man who one day won't honor and respect you. 

DISCIPLE YOUR KIDS

Paul then shifts his focus from the child to the parent, primarily the father. As we saw in chapter 5, the husband is considered the head of the household. Therefore, he is the leader of the home. 

This is important to note because we have grown up in a society that has diminished the importance of a father's presence in a child's life. We've grown up in a society where men have been primarily dis-involved in a child's life, whether that be because of work, divorce, or a myriad of reasons. But, in addressing the parent's role in disciplining a child, Paul primarily addresses the father. 

Men, God has called you to be actively involved in your children's lives. God has called the father to be actively involved in your children's lives.

In addressing the father, we can also safely conclude that he's also addressing the mother. After all, he just got done saying, "obey your parent[s]" and "honor your father and mother." So, this reinforces the truth that the primary spiritual influence of a child is the parent. Mom and Dad, you shouldn't just be present in your child's life; you should be actively involved in the discipleship of your child. The primary responsibility of teaching, training, and disciplining a child doesn't fall on the shoulders of a daycare, school, nanny, or grandparent; it falls on the shoulders of the parent.

CARE ABOUT YOUR KIDS

As the primary spiritual influence, Paul calls us to do two things: "not provoke our children to anger" and "bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." 

So, what does it mean to not "provoke our children to anger?" 

Well, multiple commentators pointed out how, contextually, during this time, fathers in Roman society had total control over their children and were often harsh to them. Some historical reports show that some fathers were guilty of selling or abandoning their children. Other reports show that a father could even kill a child without being charged with a crime. So, this command not to provoke a child to anger would have been very countercultural during this time because it placed value on the child. It spoke light into how a father led his family. A loving and Godly father should lead his children gently yet sternly, boldly yet kindly. The father (and mother) should carefully consider how they parent their children. They should be fair, loving, and consistent toward their children. 

Tony Merida gives a list of things a parent could do to provoke a child to anger: 

  •  Failing to take into account the fact that they are kids

  • Comparing them to others

  • Disciplining them inconsistently

  • Failing to express approval, even at small accomplishments

  • Failing to express our love to them

  • Disciplining them for reasons other than willful disobedience and defiance

  • Pressuring them to pursue our goals, not their own

  • Withdrawing love from them or overprotecting them

TEACH AND SHOW THEM JESUS

Following this, Paul says fathers should bring their children up "in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." 

The Greek word for discipline means training, correcting, or punishing. It's "do this" and "don't do that." It's "if you choose to disobey, punishment will come." Godly parents embrace the responsibility of correcting and disciplining their children. 

The Greek word for instruction means to teach or warn. It's a term that primarily falls on the shoulders of verbal education. It's, "Hey, this is who God is. This is what he's done. This is what he calls us to." So, Godly parents embrace the responsibility of teaching their children about Jesus. The ultimate job of a parent is to teach their children about Jesus. We are to bring up our children in the discipline and instruction "of the Lord." So, the content of our teaching ought to center around Jesus. 

Jesus says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations." So, our job as disciples of Jesus is to make disciples of Jesus. But, whenever we hear discipleship, we often think outward, not inward. We often think discipleship is something we do outside the walls of our home, not inside our home. But, we must understand that it would be foolish to invest all of our time, effort, and resources to reach the lost outside our homes while neglecting the lost within our homes. As parents, we must understand that one of our most excellent calls in life is to teach our children about Jesus. 

FILL YOUR CUP SO YOU CAN FILL OTHERS

As we close today, I want to direct our attention to Deuteronomy 6:6-7, "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children…" So, before we see a call to teach, we see a call to study. We are to teach our kids that which is on our hearts. We are to teach our kids the very thing that we rejoice in, delight in, meditate on, and cling to personally. To make disciples, we must first be a disciple. To be a teacher, you must first be a student. We can't teach our kids something we are foreign to ourselves. 

The Psalmist describes God's Word as something sweeter than honey and more precious than gold. The Bible ought to be something we feast on daily. So, in teaching our kids about God's Word, we're not inviting them to join a meal that we despise ourselves. We're welcoming them into a delicious feast at the master's table. We are to teach our children diligently the same commands written on our hearts.

Ephesians 5:31-33

What you find, as you read the Bible, is the truth that nothing catches God by surprise. He is always on the throne. He is carrying out his good plan of redemption.

We saw this in Ephesians 1, where we learned that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be hold and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ. These verses teach us that God had a chosen plan of redemption before the earth was formed. Before the earth was made, God knew sin would enter the world, and he had a plan of adoption.

The Bible is emphatically clear that the cross was not God's plan B; it was always his plan A. So, throughout the Old Testament, we see prophesies and foreshadows pointing ahead to the coming of a Savior who would save the world through his death on the cross. Throughout the Old Testament, we find promises and foreshadows about God creating a united, diverse, and redeemed people through the death and resurrection of Jesus. And we're going to learn today that even the formation of marriage was intended to portray Christ's relationship with the church. Marriage was created to be a parable of Christ's relationship with the church long before the church was born. Before a husband and wife existed, God had created marriage to mirror the gospel. So, the closer we gaze into the mirror of marriage, the more we see the beautiful splendor of Christ and the church.

Let's dive in.

"[28] In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. [29] For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, [30] because we are members of his body. [31] 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' [32] This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. [33] However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."

In verses 28-29, we find Paul calling the men in the church to love their wives as they do their own bodies. Notice here that there's no command to love oneself, though. There's only an assumption that one will love themselves.

Some of us might claim to hate ourselves, while some of us probably love ourselves a little more than we should. But, it's "a natural aspect of the human condition to love, nurture, and protect oneself." If you, for example, were to touch a hot stove, your natural response is to pull back your hand to protect your hand. A fundamental aspect of the human life is to protect your life. Paul here is saying that an essential element of the call on the husband's life is to learn how to cherish, nurture, and care for his bride in the same way he cherishes, nurtures, and cares for himself. The husband should "love his wife as he loves his own body."

So often, you hear about the husband's career or hobbies trampling over his wife. But gone are the days when a wife is forced to live in the shadows of the husband's wants and desires. Gone are the days when a man only looks out for himself. No, a godly husband gives himself to the humble service of caring for his bride. He loves his wife as his own body because he is now one flesh with her.

Now, it's important to note that our flesh isn't perfect. If we look in the mirror, we will find all sorts of blemishes. No one knows the flaws of our bodies more than ourselves. Yet, despite these flaws, we still nurture and care for our bodies. The same should be true of our marriage. There's no such thing as a perfect husband, and there's no such thing as a perfect wife. Yet, even with all her flaws and imperfections, the husband is still to nurture and care for her as her own flesh. A husband's care doesn't rest upon the shoulders of the wife's worthiness but upon the shoulders of grace. The husband is to cherish and nourish his wife (as his own body), just as Christ nourishes and cherishes the church (as his own body).

Together, the church makes up the bride of Christ, the one whom he loves dearly. And he has entered into a marital covenant with his bride, making us one with him, a member of his body. Therefore, a husband must love his bride like Jesus loves his bride, the church.

This reminds us of essential truths surrounding marriage and the hope of the gospel. If we (the church) are members of Christ's body, he will not forsake us. In the same way that a head will never abandon its body, Christ will never abandon the church. In the same way that a man will never stop caring for his body, Christ will never stop caring for the church. Christ will always remain lovingly, graciously, and fully invested in his bride, the church. And a husband ought to do the same.

To support this, Paul directs our attention back to the garden in Genesis 2. Look at verse 31.

"Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

Notice there are quotation marks surrounding this verse here. Quotation marks tell us he's quoting something said previously.

In Genesis 2, God creates man and commissions him to work and tend to the garden. Not long after, the LORD said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." So, the LORD caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and while he slept, he took one of Adam's ribs and made a woman from it. Once he woke up, he said, 'This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.'" Following this declaration, we read, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed."

So, at the beginning of creation, we find the marriage union introduced. These words will be the foundation on which the rest of the Bible interprets marriage. This teaches us a fundamental element regarding marriage: the creator of marriage is God. God established marriage in the garden.

So, you might hear someone say that marriage is old school. They would be right. Marriage is about as old school as you can get. But we see here that marriage wasn't a man-made establishment; it was a God-ordained union formed for his people's good and His own glory (as we will see soon).

Now, if God is the creator of marriage, then he gets to set the parameters of marriage. A jar doesn't get to say to the potter, "I don't like the handle you've given me, so I'm going to change it a bit." No, the creator is also the orchestrator. The one who sets something in motion also gets to guide the direction.

We see this being the case in Genesis 2. What's profound here is that Adam and Eve didn't have a father and mother to leave because they were the first and only people on the earth at this time. Yet, God says, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." So, at the very beginning of time, God is setting into place what marriage was intended to be. He's establishing a practice to be observed from this point forward. What occurred in Genesis 2 was intended to be the defining moment of marriage. Here in Genesis 2, we learn that God has designed marriage to be a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman, a leaving of your father and mother, and a holding fast to one another. "A man shall leave his father and mother and become one flesh with his woman, his wife."

There are two things worth unpacking here: the leaving and clinging portion of this verse. When we unpack these two things, we will better understand what marriage was intended to be.

The verb used here for "leave" means to leave behind, forsake, abandon, or desert. It's the grandmother leaving the fox in the woods in the movie The Fox and the Hound. It's you dropping off clothes at Goodwill. It can be a sad word, a word of separation. The relationship between the parent and the child will never be the same whenever the child says, "I do." That child's primary allegiance and dependence no longer belongs to the mom and dad; it belongs to the spouse. A new union, family, and body have been birthed on the marriage altar. When two people get married, they're choosing to start a new family together.

This is why, at the start of most wedding ceremonies, the father walks down the aisle with the bride, and the minister asks, "Who gives this woman in marriage?" To which the father will respond, "Her mother and I."

A fundamental element of marriage is the reality that your relationship with your parents will never be the same again. You have left behind your father and mother to hold fast to your wife.

Many marriages struggle in ways they shouldn't because of a lack of understanding of this reality. Many parents aren't willing to be left. They've lived vicariously through their child and don't want to be let go. But, parents, when you give your son or daughter away, you must understand that things won't be the same as they were before. Your child is starting a family of their own, which is a good thing. It's how God has designed it. Holidays may be different. That's ok. Traditions may die. That's ok. God has created marriage to be this way.

In the same way that you were able to create memories with your spouse and your children, your child can now begin to start their own memories with their spouse and children. Don't fight this; encourage it. Learn how to navigate life well in this new role of a parent.

With that being said, leaving your father and mother doesn't mean you completely cut ties with your father and mother. You still walk through life with your parents, just in a different way. Your priorities have just changed. Your allegiance has shifted. Understand that this is a difficult transition for your parents. It's likely much more difficult for them than it is for you. So, strive to honor them as you cling to another. Learn how to navigate life well in this new role as a spouse.

Now, not only do you leave your father and mother, but you are to hold fast to your spouse. "Hold fast" means to adhere to, stick to, or join with your wife. It means to glue or weld yourself to another. This is a language of permanence, strength, and unity. As a hand doesn't have the freedom to leave the body, a husband doesn't have the freedom to leave his wife (and vice-versa).

I've officiated quite a few weddings over the years, and I've come in contact with several symbolisms used to convey what is taking place on a wedding day. I've seen people tie knots to symbolize the strength of a marriage. I've seen people mix sand or light candles to represent the blending together of families. Well, I look forward to the day when a couple brings welding helmets and a blow torch and welds together two metals. God has designed marriage to be a welding together of two people who will be one until death do them part.

To signify its permanence, a marriage in the Bible is seen as a covenant, not a contract. In addressing the Israelites' spiritual insensitivity, Malachi 2:14 states, "But you say, 'Why does he not (accept our offerings)?' Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant." So, here, Malachi draws attention to the fact that God has not responded to their offerings because the Israelites have not been faithful to the wife they covenanted with in their youth. This tells us that marriage was created as a covenant that should be carried out faithfully. Marriage is a lifelong covenant, not a short-term contract. A contract is designed to protect oneself if the other party fails to fulfill their obligations. However, a covenant is a permanent promise. It is the giving of oneself for the benefit of another. A covenant is a profound and binding promise of the heart. You can enter a contract and still be looking out for their self-interest. However, that's not the way of a covenant. God created a marriage covenant to be a selfless commitment, the forging together of two separate lives.

If marriage is a permanent promise, we must conclude that marriage is intended to be a lifelong commitment. When questioned about divorce in Matthew 19, Jesus referenced the same verse Paul quoted in Genesis 2. He was asked, "Is it lawful (is it ok) to divorce your wife for any cause?" And at this moment, Jesus knew they were asking this question because of Deuteronomy 24. In Deuteronomy, we find specific laws given regarding divorce. And instead of unpacking Deuteronomy 24, he first draws the attention of his audience past Deuteronomy 24 to Genesis 2. In doing so, he's reminding his audience that God's original intention for marriage was to be lasting, not temporary. The husband and wife have uniquely become one entity. So, a husband is not free to leave his wife because of a change of appearance. A wife doesn't get to leave her husband because she lacks feelings toward him. Marriage was intended to be a lifelong covenant. Therefore, we must be willing to work through the tough times together with our spouses.

Like Jesus, Paul in Ephesians 5 draws the church's attention back to this creation narrative. In doing so, he's saying that a husband should love his wife as his own body, cherishing and nourishing her, because God created marriage to be the joining together of two people for an entire life together.

Paul goes on to say that forming one flesh in marriage was a profound mystery related to Christ and the church. When we say mystery, we mean something hidden and not fully known. Think of it like something that was always there but hidden in the shadows, something that was once dimly lit but now fully visible, something that was once foggy but is now clear. Paul is saying that the creation of marriage on the sixth day was patterned after Christ's future loving relationship with the church. Marriage was created to be a parable of Jesus' relationship with the church long before the church was born.

Think about that for a moment.

Marriage is a good gift from the Lord. It should lead to joy, happiness, and pleasure. It should lead to our holiness and sanctification. But, more than all of this, marriage was created to be a portrait of the gospel. God designed marriage to reflect his loving relationship with his people.

Married folks, do you understand that you are a part of a tiny portrait of Christ's relationship with his bride, the church?

We live in a day and age where many have no desire to open their Bibles. However, how you interact with your spouse can teach the world how God interacts with his spouse. So, be careful how you treat your spouse. Be careful how you speak about your spouse. Husbands, let each of you love his wife as himself. And wives, let each of you see that you respect your husband.